Hydraulic drive for refuse body and safety control therefor



Aug. 30, M49. L. w. WACHTER HYDRAULIC DRIVE FOR REFUSE BODY AND SAFETY CONTROL THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1945 30, 194%. L. w. WACHTER 2,48%,527

4 ammumc muvn FOR REFUSE somr AND SAFETY CONTROL THEREFOR Filed June 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1949. L, WACHTER 2489,52?

HYDRAULIC DRIVE FOR REFUSE BODY AND SAFETY CONTROL THEREFOR Filed June 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 i 62- j :f

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HYDRAULIC DRIVE FOR REFUSE BODY AND SAFETY CONTROL THEREFOR Filed June 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Zea? Patented Aug. 30, 1949 HYDRAULIC DRIVE FOR REFUSE BODY AND SAFETY CONTROL THEREFOR Lester W. Wachter, Stre ator, 111., assignor to Anthony Company, Streator, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application June 15, 1945, Serial No. 599,568 Claims. '(C1.21482) This invention relates to a container and to means for packing a load in said container and discharging means and for automatically setting up and carrying out a complete cycle of operation of the moving means.

Another object is to provide a hydraulic drive in connection with a reciprocating load handling means, whereby said handling means can be caused to move in one direction and automatically to reverse its direction in movement in response to predetermined conditions and to return to an initial position and stop automatically in that position.

Although the device is illustrated in connection with a garbage or refuse body, it may be used in many different sorts of associations and the drive illustrated may be used for almost any purpose in which it is desirable to have a means for moving a given member in one direction and for re versing its movement automatically in response to predetermined conditions, and thereafter for returning it to its original position, and thereafter stopping it automatically.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

One particular refuse body for which the drive 3 is adaptable is illustrated in application Serial No.

568,534, filed December 16, 1944, by William C. Anthony, now Patent No. 2,408,284, granted September 24, 1946. One of the figures of the present application is based upon the showing of that application. Only so much of the mechanism is illustrated as to indicate the location of the driving assembly and to illustrate one pos sible use of the device of the present invention.

This invention is illustrated more or less die-- grammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section with parts omitted illustrating one form of device with which the structure of the present invention may be used;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the hydraulic system used for moving the load propelling member of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a, detailed sectional view of the control valve of Figure 2 in position for return;

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the same valve in the neutral position; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic showing of anortion of the circuit with the safety valves in the open position.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and the drawings.

In the particular form here shown, I is a truck frame which may be of any desired form and is supported upon wheels 2. 3 is a driving shaft from which a pump 4 is driven. The pump may be of any desired form and will be described more in detail below.

Body frame or sill members 5 may be positioned on the truck frame I and they may be connected by transverse members 6. The truck frame members I may also be connected by transverse members 1. A container portion may include a floor member 8, generally vertical portions Be, an inclined portion 9 and side portions I 0. A top portion II may be applied portions Ill and it may, if desired, be fiat or slightly curved. The details and shape of the container portion form no essential part of the invention. In general, the container is closed at the forward end by a wall I2, which may have an inclined portion I3 to provide a space in which the valve and reservoir assembly may be positioned.

At its opposite end the container is open and may have a frame portion I4 closed by a gate I5, which is preferably hinged at its upper end, as at I6, and may be provided with aclosing latch I I of any desirable shape. I8 and I9 together define a prop or stop which holds the door I5 in the open or dotted line position of Figure 1.

A material moving member which may be reinforced by one or more ribs 2| and strengthened by one or more braces 22 is arranged to run along tracks 23 by being mounted upon a dolly 24 which is provided with shafts 25 which carry rollers 26. The rollers 26 engage the tracks 23. Rollers 21 may also be provided on the dolly to engage the tracks 23 in a plane at right angles to the plane of the rollers 26 which engage the track flanges. A cylinder 30 is fixed above or within the upper part of the container and is provided with a piston 3i from which piston rods 32 and 33 project. A cross head 34' is connected to the piston rod 32 and may carry sheaves 35. One or more cables 36 are positioned to engage the sheaves and are secured at one end to the members 29. Additional cables 3'! are also se- 1 cured to the members 29 and pass about sheaves 38 mounted on a cross head 39 secured to the piston rod 33. The complete details of the cable and sheave assembly are not shown, as they form no essential part of this invention and to the side walls or of-other-types. I and tl which aredriveninthe direction of the .a'rrows marked upon them. "Fluid under pressure of the pump, andlow ithe passage 49. 1 v. Mounted upon or adjacent the valvehousing is prevented.

I re s owrilin the Anthony application, Serial No. 68,534, above mentioned. Suflice it to say that a double acting piston and cylinder assembly is shown, together with means for supplying pressure fluid to one or the other side of the piston. This means causes the piston to move in one direction or the other in response to the operation of the control mechanism hich will be describe'd helowg g In the diagram f Figure- 2} the hytlraulic sysor discharging direction. A conduit 69 is consembly which appears generally in Figure '1 is appear. Thus a valve housingtfl is secured'to' the pump housing ti and is provided with a high pressure passage M. low pressure passage 42. A by-pass passage 63 is provided with a check valve M which is normay be of a standard gear pump type or may be As shown," it" includes gears 46 may'flow through the high pressure passage 48 pressure iluid'enters through 5D is a reservoir 5|) with which the low pressure 1 passage'42 of the'valve housing'is connected. The

high pressure passage is by-passe d around or through the reservoir 50 by meansof a conduit or pipe 5|.

- Safety valve means' are'provided in connection with the vehicle and are shown in Figures 1 and 2. The vehicle itself is provided with doors 52 which, as shown, slide up and down. They could be otherwise made and the invention is not limited to sliding doors. -Whatever the type "of door cally open'and stop the operation of the system g s ing an acts as a cylinder for the piston 96.

whenever either of the doors is open. The valves are identical in form and each of them includes a housing 53. Low pressure conduits 54, 54 lead from the reservoir to each of the housings 53. Valve members 55 are mounted in each of the housings 53 and are normally moved to an open position by springs 56 which bear upon flanges 51 mounted upon the stems 58 of the valves 53. As shown injigure 2 the safety valves are closed. and as shown in Figure 5 they are open. When either door is closed. it contacts one, of the valve stems 58 and moves the valve to theposition of housing 40 by means of'a conduit 59 and branch conduits 59', 59'. Whenthe valves are in the position of Figure 5, the high pressure .tiuid i's bypassed through the conduits 59 and 159' through the valves 55 and through the conduits back to the reservoir 50 and operation ofthe piston 3| In communication with the: reservoir 50 and p the conduit 5| is a valve housing 60 containing a passage 6! which is in communicationwith the j necte eneral y to we specime s r the cylintem is shown and the piston and cylinder as drical'cavity'63 and leads to the opposite end of the cylinder 30. Pressure fluid flows through the conduit 89 to effect the return movement of the -piston5fl| .;.,'1he valve rod 61 is provided with an valve housing and control valves and safetyvalves enlargement I0 which fits snugly in a portion H of the housing 80. The valve rod 64 is also provised? waniaa enlargement 12 which fits snugly in anenlarg'ement 13 of the valve housing 60. A

It is also provided with a I 20. connects the passage 4| with the passage 32 and mallyiheld 'seated -by a spring fl5.'- The' p'ump frame member H is secured to the enlargement 1 i3 and a spring 15 is positioned within this frame member and bears at one end against it and at "the other end against an enlargement l6 on the valve rod portion 12. The valve rod orits enlargement '-I2 is provided jw tnjgmom l] and I8 and with a handlels 4!. latch control plungertbfis piositiond in a -valv'e housingilfto which pressurejfljiidmay be'directed by a c0nd ui t 82 whichisin c ir'ciiitwlth the conduit. The plunger 80' is'n'ormally held "seated by a spring 83; butmaybeunseated by pressure in the conduit 82. "The'plunger stem 88 is connected to one end of a latch" lever 85'.wliich is pivoted at 86 upon a member 81 which is mounted on the 'frame portion it; a The nose 88 of the latch 85 may engage one or another'oij the grooves 17, I8 or may beheld out of contact with thegrooves: I,

A pilot valve 89 is mounted within a housing 90 and is normally held seatedon a seat?! by a spring 92 which is mounted within the housing 90. The housing itself is secured to a'irame member 93." A conduit 94 leads from the conduit 69 to-the valve 89. A valve stem 95"isf connected to the valve 89and extends outwardly beyond the housing 90. The valve portion 89 has'pos'itioned about it a piston 98. The valve and piston are normally held seated by a. spring 92. hQi OUsin what may be called the packing or discharge wmoved to discharge the material fromthe conconduit 5| and a passage 62 which is in free communicationwith thereservoir 5ll.- A valve-housingifl contains a passage of generally cylindrical shape within'whicha valverod 54 is mounted.

tainer. The movement of the piston 3i to the right from. the position shown inFigure 2'is therefore a packing-or discharging movement. Withthe valves as set in Figure 2, low pressure fluid is forced outwardly through the system and returns to the sump or reservoir- 50.-

.Although I have shown anoperatlve form of my invention, it will be recognized that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and my showing is; therefore to be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic.

In general, in any situation in which this invention is used the stroke of the piston in one direction maybe considered as a working stroke and the movement of the piston in the opposite direction may be considered as a return stroke. In the particular case described herewith the movement of the piston which carried the blade 20 in the packing or discharging direction has been considered a working stroke and the movement of the blade in reverse toward its initial position has been considered a return stroke. Where the words "working" or "retum occur in the specification or claims, they are to be understood with this meaning and not as limiting the invention because obviously some work might be done by the piston when moving in either or both directions.

The use and operation of this invention are as follows:

With the parts as shown. it willbe assumed that the hydraulic system illustrated is mounted to operate a blade or packing and discharge member such as the member 20. At the outset, the body or container will be empty and material will be put into it. usually through the doors I! when the latter are open. After loading has stopped, the material may be packed toward the discharging end. This is accomplished by pulling the handle 19 to the position of Figure 2. In that position the latch 88 engages the groove 11 and holds the valves 65 and 66 in the position shown in that figure. Pressure fluid then flows through the conduit the passage GI and the passage 68 to the left-hand end of the cylinder 30 and moves the piston 3| to the right, thus carrying the blade toward the rear of the body or container and moving the load with it.

When the load contacts the closed gate l5, it will be packed against that gate and pressure will build up. When pressure builds up sufliciently, it will be exerted through the conduit 82 and will force the plunger 80 downwardly, tilting the latch 85, 88 out of engagement with the groove 11 into the position shown in Figure 3. When the latch is disengaged from the groove H, the spring is free to expand and moves the valve rod 68 with the valves 65 and 66 from the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 3. Thus the flow of pressure fluid is reversed and it now flows through the conduit IS, the conduit 6i and the conduit 69 to the right-hand end of the cylinder 30 and reverses the direction of movement of the piston 39 and consequently carries the blade back to its original position. When the blade reaches its original position and can go no further, pressure will build up in the right-hand end of the cylinder 30 and will be effective through the conduit 69 and the conduit 98 and will open the valve 89 against the resistance of the spring 92.

As soon as the valve has been cracked open the pressure may be reduced but will be suflicient to move the piston 96 further away from the sealing position and the stem 95 will contact the portion 10 and will carry the valve rod 64 and the valves 65 and 66 to the neutral position of Figure 4. In that position the latch portion 88 will engage the groove 'l8 and will hold the valve parts in neutral position. When they are in that position and while the pump continues to operate, pressure fluid moves from the pump through the conduit 5|, the passage St, the by-pass passage 8'! and the passage 62 back to the reservoir 50, and no movement of the piston occurs.

The cycle above described is carried out automatically. The only thing that is required of the operator is to start the pump and move the valves to the initial packing position of Figure 2. Thereafter automatically the piston moves in one direction packing the load and when pressure is sumcient, the piston travel is reversed and the blade is restored to its original positionat which it automatically stops.

When the load is to be discharged, the gate I5 is open and the same cycle is initiated. The blade moves to the rear, discharging the load. When the dolly reaches the end of its travel, it can go no farther and pressure builds up in the cylinder 80 just as it did during the packing operation and the movement of the piston is reversed when the load has been completely discharged, the piston returning to its initial position and stopping.

I claim:

1. In combination, a closed container having an opening for filling and an opening for discharging, a combined packing and discharging member mounted within said container, moving means for movably supporting and-moving said member, said moving means including a hydraulic mechanism for moving said member within said container, said hydraulic mechanism including a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly, and means for furnishing pressure fluid to move said piston selectively within said cylin-,

der, and means for establishing and carrying out a cycle of operations including means for initiating the movement of said piston in one direction, means for reversing said piston upon the occurrence of predetermined conditions upon one side thereof, to cause said piston to move, and means for stopping said piston in response to con-- ditions on the opposite side of said piston a movable door positioned to close said filling opening, a valve positioned to be moved by said door to closed position, by-pass conduits connecting said valve to said hydraulic mechanism, and a spring biased to open said valve, whereby when sa d door is open pressure fluid is by-passed from said moving means.

2. In combination, a closed container having an opening for filling and an opening for discharging, a combined packing and discharging member mounted within said container, moving means for movably supporting and moving said member, said moving means including a hydraulic mechanism for moving said member within said container, said hydraulic mechanism including a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly, and means forfurnishing pressure fluid to move said piston selectively within said cylinder, and means for establishing and automatically carrying out a cycle of operations including means for initiating the movement of said piston in one direction, means for reversing said piston upon the occurrence of predetermined conditions upon one side thereof, to cause said piston to move in an opposite direction, and means for stopping said piston in response to conditions on the opposite side of said piston a movable door positioned to close said filling opening, a valve positioned to be moved by said door to closed position, by-pass conduits connecting said valve to said hydraulic mechanism, and a spring biased to open said valve, whereby when said door is open pressure fluid is bypassed from said moving means.

3. In combination, a closed container having an opening for filling and an opening for discharging, a combined packing and discharging member mounted within said container, moving means for movably supporting and moving said member, said moving means including a hydraulic mechanism for moving said member within said container, said hydraulic mechanism including a piston and cylinder assembly, a pump,

a valve assembly including a valve housing, two

7 conduits leading from said valve housing, said conduits being arranged to discharge fluid into said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, and a valve member in said housing, manual means for giving said valve an initial setting, and pressure responsive means for reversing the setting of said valve to reverse the direction of movement of said piston, and a second pressure responsive means, and a part associated with said second pressure responsive means for moving said first-mentioned valve to a neutral position, said second pressure responsive means being connected to the opposite side of said cylinder, and adapted to operate to carry said first-mentioned valve to a neutral position a movable door positioned to close said filling opening, a valve positioned to be moved by said door to closed position, by-pass conduits connecting said valve to said hydraulic mechanism, and a spring biased to open said valve, whereby when said door isopen pressure fluid is by-passed from said moving means.

4. In combination, a closed container having an opening for filling and an opening for discharging, a combined packing and discharging member mounted within said container, moving means for movably supporting and moving said member, said moving means including a hydraulic mechanism for moving said member within said container, said hydraulic mechanism including a piston and cylinder assembly, a

pump, a valve assembly including a valve housing, two conduits leading from said valve housing, said conduits being arranged to discharge fluid into said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, and a valve member in said housing, manual means for giving said valve in initial setting, and pressure responsive means for reversing the setting of said valve to reverse the direction of movement of said piston, and a second pressure responsive means, and a part associated with said second pressure responsive means for moving said first-mentioned valve to a neutral position, said second pressure responsive means being connected to the opposite side of said cylinder, and adapted to operate to carry said first-mentioned valve to a neutral position upon the occurrence of a predetermined pressure a movable door positioned to close said filling opening, a valve positioned to be moved by said door to closed position, by-pass conduits connecting said valve to said hydraulic mechanism,

and a spring biased to open said valve, whereby when said door is open pressure fluid is bypassed from said moving means.

5. In combination, a closed container havin an opening for filling and an opening for discharging, a combined packing and discharging member mounted within said container, moving means for movably supporting and moving said member, said moving means including a hydraulic mechanism for moving said member within said container, said hydraulic mechanism including a piston and cylinder assembly, and means for supplying pressure fluid selectively to either side of the piston to cause it to move in a predetermined direction, and automatic control means operated in response to conditions within said cylinder, said control means including members efiective to reverse the movement of said piston upon the occurrence of predetermined conditions to restore said piston to its initial position and to stop its movement at said initial position a movable door positioned to close said filling opening, a valve positioned to be moved by said door to closed position, by-pass conduits connecting said valve to said hydraulic mechanism, and a spring biased to open said valve, whereby when said door is open pressure fluid is by-passed from said moving means.

LESTER W. WACHTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 195,125 Switzerland Apr. 1,19% 

